North Korea to Partially Reopen to Tourists After 5 Years
After nearly five years of border closures due to the COVID pandemic, North Korea will gradually resume tourism. Foreign tourists will have the opportunity to visit Samjiyon in December, as reported by two China-based travel companies on Wednesday....
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Facts
- After nearly five years of border closures due to the COVID pandemic, North Korea will gradually resume tourism. Foreign tourists will have the opportunity to visit Samjiyon in December, as reported by two China-based travel companies on Wednesday.[1]
- Following stalled imports and worsening food shortages due to both border closures and international sanctions, North Korea’s restrictions started to ease up in the middle of last year.[2]
- China-based KTG Tours announced online that there's no plan yet regarding when the rest of North Korea, including Pyongyang, will open up. The company, however, said it expects it would happen 'soon.'[3]
- The town of Samjiyon, which borders China, is located near the active volcano Mount Paektu, the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula. Both North and South Koreans consider it their ancestral home, which holds immense historical, religious, and cultural value.[4]
- Tourism to the North has always been limited, with just 5K Western tourists visiting each year before the pandemic. According to another China-based agency, Koryo Tours, tourists from any country except South Korea will be able to visit.[5][1]
- However, the US State Department imposed a travel ban on US citizens in 2017 in response to the imprisonment and death of American student Otto Warmbier, prohibiting them from visiting North Korea.[5][6]
Sources: [1]BBC News, [2]WION, [3]UPI, [4]CNN, [5]Barrons and [6]Travel.
Narratives
- Pro-North Korea narrative, as provided by NK News. Although no official statement has confirmed a full reopening plan, this news is consistent with Pyongyang's aspirations. The North took an appropriately cautious approach to manage the pandemic but is now ready to relaunch international tourism. Kim Jong Un has also outlined plans to reconstruct the airport, turn a military ski base into a ski resort, and build railways, hotels, and other amenities — ambitions that could see the nation become a top tourist destination.
- Anti-North Korea Narrative, as provided by Korea Herald. Any news from North Korea should be approached with caution. In reality, its goal of reinvigorating the tourism industry by December is likely too lofty to achieve in a few months, and it's unlikely that Samjiyon is ready to welcome tourists in any larger numbers. What will probably happen is a resumption of the status quo, which is a few groups of Chinese and Russian visitors.
